


A Conversation

by Merfilly



Category: Ship Series - Anne McCaffrey, Talents Series - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Comfort, Other, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-14 19:29:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14775815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Kiria and Sophia speak as Kiria recovers from her efforts.





	A Conversation

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Something New](https://archiveofourown.org/works/561691) by [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly). 



> For a refresher, Kiria is the daughter of Kincaid and Laria, on an exploration mission with Sophia, a brainship.

Kiria rested in her bunk, trying to push away the aftermath of her stint with the First Contact. She kept her eyes closed, focusing on her inner self. What they had learned was monumental. She was going to have to try and send a message capsule back to be picked up by Earth Prime with their findings, but the crew was eager to explore ahead.

They were waiting, though, for her to fully recover from the sensory experience.

She wondered if this was anything like what her grandmother had felt in her first contacts. Granted, one of those had resulted in the death of her beloved brother, so it would not be wise to bring it up at all.

As she found herself more centered in herself, she drew in a breath and let herself notice more of her environment again. The other members of the crew were giving her the courtesy of shielding heavily, so that they did not impinge on her recovery. Except —

"Sophia?"

"Yes?"

Kiria smiled at the instant answer, and knew it was less listening through her physical self, the ship, and more that Sophia was very close to her mind at the moment. That drew her attention to the fact her bunk had been warmed, not quite to the levels that Clarf would make a lounge-chair, but warm enough to bring relaxation to her overwrought muscles.

"You're coddling me," Kiria said.

"No, I am protecting my crewmember," Sophia corrected. "You pushed yourself far beyond the normal usage of telepathy and empathy, with that latter not being among your strongest abilities. Ahmad was very concerned about that last."

"I'll be fine. We're resilient, my family and I."

"Colonist stock tend to be. Also, the infusion of Capellan blood seems to have a good effect on closer to Earth-norm humans."

Kiria laughed. "Grandfather says that is the Capellan clean-living coming through." She then reached out and rested her hand on the bulkhead beside her. "You researched me?"

"Actually, I learned a lot of your family when your aunt was aiding in my transition to this form." Sophia kept a light tone as she spoke, a clear indication that she had never regretted her choice. "I did read the briefing she sent me on you, when she suggested you might suit the mission. Her only concern was your social needs."

"That's why I didn't want to go Fleet," Kiria admitted. "This is different, though. There aren't many of us, but we all get along, and know how to give space. Ahmad is very quick to de-escalate us if the tempers flare, and we're not tightly regulated like Fleet."

Sophia laughed, and the warmth of it floated through Kiria pleasantly. "Ahmad has been my friend almost since the beginning. Zara introduced us. He helped vet everyone else, including you."

"Oh." Kiria wanted to ask if there was something deeper there, and firmly squashed the impulse.

Only, she didn't keep it out of her surface thoughts well enough.

"Ahmad is my friend," Sophia said. "I had not actually ever matched well to form more than a casual relationship with anyone in my past."

"Had not?" Kiria asked, too quickly, and she flushed a little.

This time, the answer was completely in her mind. _Perhaps there will be something more between us, Kiria. In time. For now, we are still learning one another._

_But you are considering it possible?_ Kiria pressed, suddenly uncertain of herself on more levels than she had ever truly faced.

_Yes._ Sophia pulled back from the mind-to-mind contact a little then. "You need actual sleep, now that you have centered again, Kiria. Don't make me have Kynthia come drug you."

"You wouldn't; Zara would have told you we have bad reactions to that," Kiria said, voice light and teasing as she felt a giddy pleasure at the idea of the future that might be with this strong woman. She did roll to her side, shifting enough to bring her forehead against the bulkhead where it met the bunk.

Sophia dimmed the lights fully for her then, not answering that last.


End file.
